The Way It's Supposed to Be
by Yasu Uchiha
Summary: Sarah is left pining after Jareth after she makes what she realizes is The Worst Mistake Of Her Life. Jareth...? He's moved on. "That's not the way it's supposed to be..."
1. Chapter 1

_Sarah turned, slowly, to see Jareth emerging from the arch behind her. His appearance took her breath away. He looked otherworldly. She hated herself for what she had to do, but she knew it had to be done. "Give me the child."_

"_Sarah, beware." His voice sent shivers down her spine, but she stayed stubbornly solid. "I have been generouls, up until now. I can be cruel."_

"_Generous?" the word caught her by surprise. What did he mean, generous? The entire night had been impossible. "What have you done that's generous?"_

"_Everything!" he snapped. He started pacing a slow circle around him, his voice softer. "Everything you have wanted, I have done. You asked that the child be taken. I took him. You cowered before me, I was frightening. I have reordered time. I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you!" his voice rose again, snapping on the last word. He softened, once more. "I an exhausted from living up to your expectations of me. Isn't that generous?"_

"_Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered," Sarah murmured, her heart breaking, "I have fought my way here to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City. For my will is as strong as yours, and my king-"_

"_Stop." Jareth's voice was tinged with fear. He calmed himself. "Wait. Look, Sarah. Look at what I'm offering you." He twisted his wrist, a crystal appearing on his fingertips. "Your dreams."_

"_And my kingdom is as great..." Sarah started walking towards him._

"_I ask for so little," Jareth continued. "Just let me rule you, and you can have everything that you want."_

"_And my kingdom as great... damn." Sarah looked away. "I can never remember that line."_

_Sensing victory, Jareth pushed forward, forcing Sarah to back up. "Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave."_

"_My kingdom as great, my kingdom as great..." Sarah looked back up at him, realization in her eyes. "You have no power over me."_

_Jareth looked disappointed and even... hurt. His lips thinning, he tossed the crystal into the air, just as the clock struck thirteen. He fell back, off the edge of the platform, in a flurry of fabrics, transforming, shifting into a barn owl. Sarah stuck out her hand to catch the crystal, grasping for a memory of her time in the Labyrinth, but the crystal popped like a bubble on her fingertips. She blinked, and she was back in her living room, the clock chiming midnight. Jareth flew around her and out the window, and Sarah watched him go, feeling like she just made the biggest mistake of her life._

**So, something new, something different. Is it bad that I typed this up almost completely by memory...? This story's gonna be difficult, and I can't promise even semi-regular updates. It'll come as it comes, and y'all will just have to be patient with me. ^^ Hope you enjoyed!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Standard disclaimers apply. This one's different... I haven't found one like it before, and His Nibs is horrid when I get an idea and don't want to put pen to paper. (Or, more often than not, fingers to keyboard.) So... here. Be happy.**

Sarah stared out the window at the birds that had been flying by all period. It had been several months since the first summer thunderstorm, and she still hadn't forgotten a single detail. That night was burned into her mind, always at the forefront of her thoughts. Every time she closed her eyes, some image – usually of _Him_ – would pop up. He haunted her dreams, always there, always out of reach.

Sarah didn't even realize the bell had rung until her friend slammed her palms on her desk. "Christ, Williams, you've been spacier than usual! What the hell happened over the summer?"

Sarah sighed heavily, swinging her tings onto her shoulder. "Nothing happened, Kait. Mom visited in her usual, hate-to-run-but-well-you-know, disappointing way. I babysat Tobes every weekend-"

"Yeah, see, that changed," Kait interrupted, falling into step next to her. "It was always 'Toby' or 'Tobias' or 'the Thing'. Now it's 'Tobes' or 'my baby brother'. The hell, Sar?"

"You really want to know?" Sarah's voice was irritable. "I almost lost him over the summer, and it made me realize I love Tobes. Still hate Karen, but I love the kid."

"Wow." Kait walked alongside Sarah in silence for a while. In typical Kait fashion, though, she said, "So what'd your mom bring you?"

Sarah flinched, eyes glazing at the memory. _You want a story, huh? ... I wish the goblins would come and take you away. ... Doesn't look that far. ... They both look the same... It's a piece of cake. ... It's not fair! ... Are you my friend or not? ... There's nothing to be afraid of! ... Let's handle this thing logically. ... Everything's dancing... I have to save Toby! ... I have to face him alone. ... You have no power over me... _"A book," Sarah said softly. "She brought me a book."

The little red lather book with the red ribbon placeholder and the gold embossed lettering on the cover still haunter her, although she hadn't taken it out of the drawer she'd placed it in that night.

Kait made a disgusted sound. "I don't care about a _book_," she said, making the word sound like an expletive. "Clothes, Williams! Jewelry! The _important_ things!"

"You can come over this weekend," Sarah said resignedly, "and lay claim to what you want."

Kait squealed happily, tossing her arms around Sarah. 'You're the best _ever_, Sar!" she exclaimed, kissing her on the cheek before peeling away to class.

Sarah watched her go, trudging slowly to her own class. "Right. The best."

XxXxX

When the bell after the last class rang, Sarah waited for the school to empty out before approaching her locker. She dropped off unnecessary supplies, picking up the books she'd need for homework. She slowly started on her way home, taking the longest route possible so she could go through the park. She paused, staring unseeingly at the obelisk. For most of the summer, s barn owl waited there for her, a silent audience to her acting. The owl only came when she did scenes form _Labyrinth_, but it never returned after that first storm.

She sighed, tears pricking at her eyes."Oh, Jareth," she whispered, slowly starting back home. She closed herself in her room, pausing before only to see her brother. Once she was safely ensconced in her room, she set out her music box, listening to the light, tinkling notes. For the first time since the first summer thunderstorm, she pulled out the little red book, afraid of what she would see when she opened it.

She cracked the book open. The pages were blank. Her movements became more and more frantic with each blank page flipped.

The book slipped from her hands, tears blurring her vision. The book was entirely empty, the magic spent. She followed the book to the ground, sobbing. "Goblin King, Goblin King, wherever you may be," she choked out, "Take this heartache of mine far away from me." She curled in on herself, her lips forming words her voice hadn't the strength to sound.

In the dimension that brushed ours, the time-skewed world of Faerie, the King of the Goblins tensed.

**OoOoO. Intriguing. Thanks for the reviews, hope you enjoyed!**


	3. Chapter 3

"My lord? Did you receive summons?"

Jareth turned to the faery woman sitting before him. Her flaxen hair glinted in the russet sun of the Labyrinth, complementing her lightly tanned skin and amber eyes. She was from his father's Court, but a bit too whimsical for the strict regime of the High Court. So, of course, the High King sent her to him.

Jareth took an immediate liking to her – when he found her in his throne room, she was on the floor in the depression where most goblins liked to sleep, telling them a story and letting them climb around her. One goblin was snoring in her lap, and she was stroking him like a cat. He'd watched and listened until the story ended and most of the goblins had fallen asleep. She'd stood and carefully disentangled herself from them before picking her way over to him.

"I'm sorry, my Lord," she whispered. "I wasn't aware of your presence." She'd curtsied, then, and he took her hand, pulling her back up.

"It's quite alright, precious," he'd responded, leading her to the Escher room. "Let's find somewhere _not_ infested by goblins to talk."

She'd then run squealing through the room, taking delight in the nonsensical layout of the room. They'd spent hours chatting and chasing each other through the room, before finally making their way back to the throne room, falling over each other and laughing.

Jareth shook his head, returning to the present. "A request, actually."

"Oh?" her voice was lightly curious, enough to let him know he didn't have to answer. "From whom?"

Jareth almost responded, 'No one important,' but knew she deserved more than that – with how understanding and kind she'd been, both to him and to his subjects, she more than deserved the proper answer. After a moment's hesitation, he responded, "The Victor."

"Oh...?" her voice was a touch more curious, and more obviously restrained. She didn't ask any more, letting him control the conversation.

"It's been a while since I've heard from her." It had been a year in Faerie, even though it had only been four months where the Victor lived.

"Are you going to respond to the Victor's request?"

The girl's voice – hurt and desperate – echoed in his head. A part of him took a perverse sense of pleasure from her pain – _She deserves it_ – but the other part wanted nothing more to do with her. She'd hurt him, and now... now, he was done with her.

"No," he finally responded, his mismatched eyes meeting her sparking golden ones. "She is no longer important to me."

The woman smiled, then, a bright, happy smile. "I'm glad," she said softly.

Jareth gently took his hand. "As am I, my Lady Eleise."

Eleise, all gold and glitter, blushed prettily, letting him steer the conversation away from the Victor. A nagging feeling at the base of her heart, though, told her this would not be the last she would have to deal with the Victor. But until then, she was satisfied being the companion of the Goblin King.

And, if the High King's wishes came to fruition, she would happily take the title of Goblin Queen. The goblins were adorable, and they already loved her, saying she was much prettier and much nicer than the Victor anyway. She had yet to find the friends of the Victor, but she was bent on winning them over as well, so that should the Victor return, she would know her place was far below herself.

**Ha! If you couldn't tell, I'm not particularly **_**fond**_** of Sarah Dearest...**


	4. Chapter 4

Three years passed. Sarah graduated high school, throwing herself into her friendship with Kait, trying to be the perfect best friend. She and Kait had already rented an apartment together, close to the local community college where they were finishing their general education before applying to universities. They were going to apply to as many colleges as possible, and would go to the best one that accepted them both.

Kait and Sarah were decorating, keeping up an easy chatter, setting out base rules and agreeing on splitting bills. Sarah worked late, so Kait signed up for later classes. They planned several things – shopping, working, classes, study groups. A lot of their friends were staying local, either going to the same community college or going to the local university. Sarah left a lot of her childhood behind – she was too far away from the park, she boxed up a lot of her costumes and dolls, leaving the blank book and other figurines at her parent's house. Kait laid claim to almost half of her clothing, and Karen – in an act of unwarranted motherly affection – took Sarah out for a shopping spree, letting her replenish her closet with more mature clothing. Sarah and Karen bonded over that, finally putting the past behind them.

Kait stood back, admiring their handiwork. "This deserves coffee," she declared, grabbing her purse. "You coming?"

Sarah shook her head. "You know what I like. It's on me next time."

"Alright." Kait said a quick goodbye over her shoulder, the apartment door closing behind her.

Sarah sighed, falling into the loveseat. Her eyes slid closed. "I'm so exhausted, Jareth," she murmured. She only talked to him when she was feeling weak, and the move made her feel very drained indeed.

She liked to pretend he was there, listening. "Why did I leave Toby? He's starting kindergarten in the fall – he's so smart. He tells me his dreams... he still remembers you. He doesn't know it's you, per se, but he dreams about you all the time. He knows it's not something to go to Dad or Karen about. Only me..." Her voice trailed off.

She sighed, snapping back to attention. "What am I doing?" she muttered irritably to herself. "Talking to the Goblin King, that's what. The same goblin King that abandoned me to the horrors of high school and puberty. The same one who pushed me to move out and spend so much time with Kait." She forced herself back to her feet. "I love her to pieces, but this isn't the life I wanted," she murmured. "_You _were." Glancing forlornly at the mirror, she continued to the bedroom to finish putting away their clothes.

XxXxX

Kait hesitated outside the apartment. Now wasn't the time to tell her, she knew, but she would have to tell her roommate soon. Preferably before the full moon... which was in three weeks. Kait groaned, leaning against the wall next to the door. He wasn't going to make it easy on her, was he?

"C'mon... once more cycle," she murmured.

"_You know the agreement, Aikaiterine. No longer._"

Kait sighed. Poor Sarah didn't even know her real name... She'd been lying to her friend for too long, but she knew Sarah needed her, needed that touch of magic to continue. "Can't we free her?"

"_No. What's done is done._"

Kait groaned aloud. "I'm not sacrificing her."

"_Then you will sacrifice your own lifeblood._"

Kait's lip curled as she turned back to the door. Juggling the two coffees to unlock the door, she muttered, "It might be worth it." The door swung open.

"Hey, Sarah!"

Sarah turned, smiling in greeting. Kait suppressed a grimace. No. She wasn't going to sacrifice Sarah. She was too important. '_Which is why you were not supposed to grow close to her. Only enough to make her dependant on your magic._'

Kait smirked inwardly. '_It's not my magic she's dependant on._' She suppressed a snicker at the confusion on the other side. '_Oh, Zanatos, do you really not recognize the Champion of the Labyrinth when you see her?_'

**And the plot thickens. Who – what – is Kait? Why is she friends with Sarah? How does she know about the Labyrinth? What the hell's happening? Well, if you have the answer to any of these questions, you should tell me. Because I sure don't. Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

Jareth tensed, fighting to ignore the soft voice of the Victor ringing in his head. Eleise glanced at him, feeling his hand tighten in hers. "My lord?" she murmured, her free hand covering his. The whisperings had gotten more frequent over the years. The first year had been bliss, the Victor completely silent, but in the eight years since then, the murmurings had come more and more often. Eleise was worried the Victor's return would disrupt the wedding – she'd already gone for her first measurements, and the dress was promised to be stunning.

"I'm fine, my dear," Jareth murmured back, smiling at her.

She smiled back. "What does she want this time?"

"Mmm. She was wondering what she was doing with her life, and blaming me for it."

"As usual." Eleise hugged him lightly before pulling him away. "I need to get back to planning. Ill see you tonight?" A soft smirk pulled at her lips.

His lips twisted into a similar, seductive smirk. "I'm looking forward to it."

Eleise flushed, knowing _exactly_ what he was looking forward to, watching him turn and walk away, returning to the Throne room. She exhaled heavily, leaning against the nearby wall. She fanned herself with her hand. "I am one lucky girl to have all of _that_," she said aloud.

She turned at see a squat dwarf, blue eyes watching her warily. "Y'said ya want'd ta see me, Lady?" he said.

"You must be Hoggle," she said warmly. "I'd like you to come and design a garden, just for me." She winked at him. "I'm sure I'll need some time away from His Majesty."

The dwarf fought back a smile. "Yeah, 'lright," he agreed.

"One more favor?" she asked. "I'd like a trained eye to help me with the wedding. I want to have it outside, you see, but with the High King and Queen coming, I don't really need them knowing how much the goblins really rule."

Hoggle cackled. "Sure, lady. I'd be glad ta help."

"Thank you, Hoggle," she said warmly. "I'll call you when we start designing, okay?"

"Sure thing, lady," Hoggle said before ambling off.

Eleise grinned as he left. "There's one down," she murmured, returning to her rooms. "Now to find the Victor herself." Eleise changed into an ivory peasant blouse and jeans, deciding on a pair of wedges and an ivory and red-rose-printed corset. She left her hair down, letting it curl around her face. Smirking at herself in the mirror, she stepped through the veil into the Victor's world.

She tucked her hair behind her ear, stepping into the apartment lobby. She walked in as if she belonged there, following the trail of magic to the Victor's apartment. She knocked on the door, and was unsurprised to find a faery answering the door. "Cait?"

The girl's green eyes widened. "Um... Hello," she said, her voice slightly startled.

Deciding to save the girl some trouble, she said, "Eleise, remember? We met a while back, in my uncle's plant nursery? Avalon?"

Recognition flared in the girl's eyes, and she stepped to the side. "Eleise, right! How've you been, girl? I haven't seen you in forever!"

Eleise grinned. "I've been good. I'm engaged," she said, offering her left hand.

"Oh my god. That's gorgeous!" the faery gushed, examining the gold band with sapphires set into it. The sapphires were a baby blue, an exact match to Jareth's eye.

"Isn't it? Wedding's in a couple months – Uncle and his wife are coming." She turned, as if just noticing the other occupant of the room. "Oh, hi! Sorry, it's just been so long since I've seen Cait, we get kinda, caught up..."

The other occupant stood smiling warmly. "Hi," she said. "I'm Sarah Williams."

**LO! The situation is suddenly tenser! ****Haha, sorry... ****Pika-la-Cynique fan. Intriguing, no? Stay funed!**


	6. Chapter 6

Sarah was weary of the woman. She was breathtaking, the ivory corset the same color as her blouse, accentuating her bust and tightening her waist. Her long legs seemed longer in the skinny jeans and wedges. And her _hair..._ Sarah was consumed by jealousy, but she didn't let it affect her. The blue of the ring caught her eye, and she felt nostalgic, a pain tugging at her heart. She shook it off as the woman introduced herself. "Sarah? Nice to meet you. I'm Eleise Lewis."

Sarah smiled. "Nice to meet you too, Eleise. Congratulations, by the way. Who's the lucky guy?"

Eleise smiled, a smile that had haunted Sarah for three years. A smile that she'd only seen before on the lips of a certain Goblin King. "Oh, it's complicated. I've known him for years, you know, but it was entirely the family's idea. It took him several years to decide to marry me – you see, he was hurt by someone just before me, and he wasn't willing to really let her go." She smiled sadly at her ring, twisting it around her finger. "And she hasn't let him go either."

"Then you shouldn't be in a relationship with him if he hasn't let her go. It's obvious that he's not really ready for marriage, and you don't want him _cheating_ on you, do you?" Sarah was confused.

"I'm not worried about that. It's pretty complicated, Sarah." She met Sarah's eyes. "She doesn't realize the hold she still has on him, you see. And... He does love me, and I am in no way jealous of her, but she's making things... difficult."

"How so?"

Eleise sighed, a smirk tugging at her lips. "She regrets leaving her baby brother behind – of course, my fiancé loves the boy and still watched over him – but somehow she blames him for her life choices."

Sarah went rigid. She didn't notice Kait tensing next to her, golden green eyes pleading with Eleise.

"And I know he probably changed her life – he changes the lives of everyone he touches – but she doesn't want to let him go. He tired of being hurt by her, but her constant chatter with him might possibly make the wedding a little more difficult. I don't want her interfering with my wedding, so I decided she should be there where I can watch her instead of potentially ruining my special day."

Sarah recognized the glint in Eleise's eyes. How could she not? She'd seen the same one in the Goblin King's eyes when he stood in her parents' bedroom window. It did not surprise her, then, when Eleise unfolded one hand in her direction. The move was so fluid, so graceful, Sarah was hit by a pang of despair – Jareth would never choose her over this embodiment of beauty.

"Sarah, don't-" Kait started, but Eleise cut her a look so sharp she quieted down.

Sarah stood her ground. "You're marrying Jareth," Sarah said flatly.

Eleise's lips turned up. "Yes."

"You're a faery."

"Yes."

"You know Kait."

"My Lady, please," Kait pleaded.

"No."

Kait flinched.

Sarah turned to Kait. "How did she know your name?"

"She didn't," Kait said in a high, soft voice. "Kait is more than just my nickname... it's what I am. Cait Sith."

Sarah nodded slowly. She glanced between the two faeries – the woman who was marrying her dream, and the girl she'd known forever. Eleise stood proud, watching, amusement lifting her lips, while Kait's eyes were focused on the ground, fingers twisting in her shirt hem.

"How much of it's been a lie, Kait?"

Kait flinched. "Only the beginning," she whispered, as if it pained her to say it. "I came to care for you. I didn't want to hurt you. Z got mad at me, and it's probably going to be me now, but I don't care anymore. I want to protect you from everything that might happen if Zanatos gets a hold of you."

Horror and revulsion splashed across Eleise's face. "Zanatos?" She spat. "You made a deal with Zanatos? He's bloodthirsty and cruel! He's ... _Dark_!"

Kait's lips pursed slightly. "Yeah, he's Dark, but I didn't make a deal with him." Her eyes met Eleise's, and her pupils slitted. "He's the one who trapped me."

Eleise sucked a breath through her teeth.

"Yeah." Kait glanced at Sarah. "You'll be safer if you go with Eleise, Sar'." She smiled sadly. "It's been nice knowing you." She looked at Eleise and nodded.

Eleise bowed her head. "Peace, sister," Eleise said.

Sarah glanced between the faeries, confused. "What-"

She didn't get to finish her sentence, as Eleise closed her hand around Sarah's arm. The last thing she saw was Kait's forlorn face.

**Surprise update! Yeah, surprised me too. Anyway, hope you enjoyed!**


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